As I sit here at my computer feeling a bit blah with the dark heavy clouds outside my window, my thoughts turn to the Mennonite Convention http://convention.mennoniteusa.org/ which is next week. There the clouds will be few and the temperatures will soar. Phoenix, here we come! (Perhaps Val or Heidi should send eggs with us to fry on the sidewalks.) :) 

Beyond the usual hopes for safety, smooth travels, and wise choices for the youth, these are the thoughts that have been flooding my grey matter this week. 

• I hope I can keep up. 
• I hope I've not forgotten anything important. 
• I hope we are stretched but not broken. 
• I hope we are challenged but not defiant. 
• I hope we sing HWB #118 more than once. 
• I hope we see beyond differences to beauty and understanding.
• I hope we strengthen and expand our definition of community. 
• I hope my big toe cooperates. 
• I hope the hotel staff finds the presence of a zillion teens praiseworthy rather than annoying.
• I hope our eyes are open to see Jesus in unusual places and people. 
• I hope to see old friends and make new ones. 
• I hope God speaks, and we listen. 
• I hope I get at least 5 hours of sleep each night. 
• I hope the city of Phoenix smiles and is blessed by our presence.
• I hope our teens come home awakened, inspired, and prepared to act by the Presence of the Divine. 
• I hope, I hope, I hope.....

Regardless of what transpires next week, God will be present. The choice will be ours to hear, see, and honor. Please pray for us! 

2011 Convention

Thank you, Church Family, for the incredible support you've provided so that your young people (and at least one not so young person) has this opportunity!  

This week Brother Mick's message is "No Law Against It" based on Paul's word to the Galatians in Chapter 5:1,13-25. Everyday, I try to meditate on the Spirit fruit by singing the 9 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control), while doing yoga, when I'm praying, when I can't sleep, when I'm stressing about leading a group of 22 to Arizona.....This is a life-giving practice for me in Kingdom Living. Try it!  The worship service begins at 10:15 am. 
The Upper Room will be open to all ages at 9 am for colloquy (I heard this word used on NPR this week meaning "conversation") on an article or topic which is still being determined. Please join us! 

Prayer for today:  Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." Ps 16:1 Gracious God, you are good. In you we find life for today and hope for tomorrow.  There are so many challenges in our lives, and we struggle to trust in your goodness and preservation.  Thank you for never leaving us nor forsaking us. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, here on earth as it is in heaven.  In Jesus name. Amen. 

2009 Convention

I will not blogging next week. 

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too! 
Love and Light,
Carol
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/   (Take time to listen to some of Brother Mick's challenging/inspiring messages!)

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference! Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend." jd

 I stepped out into the bright, warm sunlight after a few a few hours of listening and challenge in the San Jose convention center. Could I really do this?  Live the call? Vive el llamado?

This was the third day of the  2007 Mennonite Convention, and the youth (and I) were being challenged to daily tune-in to God and follow God's leading and call even if (fill in the blank).  We were apprised that as we open ourselves to God, opportunities for caring, sharing, and loving in the name of Christ would be presented. "Lord," I prayed. "Help me to follow, even if..."

The short path back to my hotel took me through a small park where people from many walks of life, both affluent and homeless, congregated. I nodded and smiled as I strode past people, making eye contact and offering a greeting.

"Miss, Miss, can I talk to you?" a young man on a bench stood up and approached me. 

I breathed a silent prayer. "OK, Lord.  Here we go!"

I sat down on a bench with Azmi, a young man from Turkey who had been in the U.S for about 7 years, and he began by asking me questions. Who were these friendly, smiling people who were walking through the park this week? They seemed kind. They were friendly. They seemed different. He said  he was a fighter and a "tough guy" although you wouldn't know that from his quiet speech and sincerity, but his physique and tattoos, one of which was the American flag, corroborated his story. Becoming an American citizen was his dream, but being from Turkey he was greeted with suspicion and rudeness. We talked for 30 or 40 minutes, and we concluded by praying together. I'm not sure if this conversation was helpful to Azmi, but this experience taught me several things: truth was being spoken at the convention; God's "call" is a daily occurrence; I have to choose if I'm going to trust, be open, and be obedient to our Creator. In a sermon I preached some time ago, I encouraged the congregation (and myself) to begin each day with a prayer something like this:

"Lord, today is a new day. Help me to pay attention to your plan. Help me to let go of my distractions to truly see people with your heart. In fact, I will be looking for your plan today. Expectant. Waiting. I will expect interruptions. Grant me courage to act. Grant me patience to step into your plan even if it messes up the timing of my plans. Let me do the small things with great love that you have planned for me today with an an attitude in which others will see YOU in me."

 I fail to follow the call more than I succeed, but the journey goes ever on and on. Today I will breathe the prayer again, and who knows what adventures God has in store! Vive el llamado! 

Brother Mick will be drawing his sermon from Isaiah 6:1-8 http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=131969934 with a message he has entitled, "Isaiah Hears A Whom" bringing some understanding to the text with help from Theodore Geisel whose great wisdom is shared through many books geared for children.  (I've sometimes wondered if Dr. Seuss wrote his parables knowing that many parents would be reading these stories aloud to their children.) :)

We will be celebrating the official membership of two of our wonderful Sarahs. :)

Blessing and Joy to Allison and Spencer as they get married on Sunday!  YAY!

On June 10 we will be celebrating 50 Years of God's faithfulness to us in the Ridgeview congregation.  We have a special day of activities planned including sharing by former pastors, great music, an Amish turkey dinner (Don't forget to bring a salad to share!), and a Ridgeview Trivia Game show at 5:30pm. This week's bulletin outlines the timing of events. Oh, and if you have a classic and/or antique car or tractor, you are invited to bring it. :)  I just discovered that there is a couple at Ridgeview who own a Studebaker. http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/ 

The new Ridgeview cookbook will be available for purchase too. Whether or not you attend Ridgeview, you are invited to join us!  

My prayer for today is the one I have printed above with a few variations:

Creator God, today is a new day. Help us to pay attention to your plan. Help us to let go of our distractions to truly see people with your heart. In fact, we will be looking for your plan today. Expectant. Waiting.We will expect interruptions. Grant us courage to act. Grant us patience to step into your plan even if it messes up the timing of our own plans. Let us do the small things with great love that you have planned for us today with an an attitude in which others will see YOU in each of us.  Come and fill us with your breath, Lord.  Come Kingdom of God; be done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen.

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too.

Love and Light,
Carol

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. "  jd

Spittle foamed at the corner of his mouth while his eyes blinked like hummingbird wings. Laughing at nothing and everything, he joined our small group of mostly teens walking through the park. This man didn't need a kite to fly; he was already in the sky. O Lord, what did I get us into this time?

This was the last night of our challenging week Vive el Llamado!-Live the Call! at the 2007 Mennonite Convention in San Jose, CA where Pat, Arnie, and I along with a small group of high schoolers had been stretched and challenged to take seriously the call to follow Jesus. We had gotten pizza and had an entire pie leftover.  "Should we give this to the men who sleep in the park?" I asked.
So we crossed the street to the small area where every night a men's dormitory appeared. Some of the occupants took slices, while others weren't hungry.  We inadvertently awakened the tall, gangly man who was now tagging our group, bellowing uproariously, and naming Arnie "Coach."  I was suddenly overwhelmed with the foolishness of going to the park and risking the safety of these teens in my care.  "Kiteman" didn't say or do anything threatening, but his behavior unnerved me.  Much more than feeling good because we gave some homeless people pizza, the realization that truly following Christ  means stepping into unknown and even unsafe territory. Are we really ready to "live the call" if it means going into the park at night? Are we truly ready to sign up for this?

Brother Mick's message this week is called, "Foolishness" based on the text in I Corinthians 1: 18-25. The servant leadership and counter-cultural way of Jesus so upset the religion, culture, and politics around him that he allowed himself to be led to the cross.  http://bible.oremus.org/

Please join us for this third Sunday in Lent.

Electives continue during the 9-10am education hour.  In the 1990 hall Brother Mick will be sharing a study called, "The Heart of Mennonite Worship."  The International lesson will be taught by someone.... and I'll be facilitating discussion on Barbara Taylor Brown's book An Altar in the World, chapters 4 and 5 in the King's Daughters classroom.

Wednesday, March 14 is the final "Family Night Activities" with dinner beginning at 6:15p.  The youngsters will have their carnival; remember those days? The adults will be discussing "Caring as Community in Times of Loss" led by Brothers Mick and Nelson. 
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/
If you are one of those people who enjoy scrapbooking or looking through photos, on Wednesday, March 21 at 6:30pm, people will be gathering to work on albums for the 50th anniversary celebration (which is on June 10.)

Last evening five of us visited Albert and Frances at Manor Care. Frances was having a really good evening, was alert and talkative.  Sharing her famous Italian gravy recipe, we listened, Heidi recorded, and Albert prompted, as Frances talked nonstop for at least 20 minutes describing the ingredients and process while her small hands formed the meatballs in the air.  Heidi is hoping to put the recipe into a format that will work for  Ridgeview's 50th Anniversary Cookbook.  From authentic Italian cooking (we also heard from Frances the shortcomings of Rachel Ray!) to traditional PA Dutch cooking, this collection is sure to be the best!  Send me your recipes asap so that we can get them into the cookbook. Yes, these cookbooks will be available for anyone to purchase! :)

My prayer for today:  The heavens declare your glory, O God, and the skies proclaim the work of your hands.  You are our Rock and our Redeemer.  In your life, Jesus, you showed us a way to live that is counter to the world's way of selfishness, exploitation, violence, and power.  Grant us courage and strength to respond to the world in sharing, loving, peaceful, life giving ways. Some of us or our loved ones are hurting physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually today-- cover us with your light and love; fill us with your healing and hope. As we struggle with joblessness, illness, pain, and loneliness, remind us that you never leave us nor forsake us.  Thank you, Compassionate God.  Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, here on earth as it is in heaven.  In Jesus name. Amen.

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too!
Love and Light,
Carol

Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe because it does make a difference! Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend!" JD